History of Dani Alves in Timeline
Daniel 'Dani' Alves da Silva is a Brazilian former professional footballer known for his position as a right-back. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest right-backs of all time, having played for top clubs like Barcelona, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, and São Paulo FC. Alves has won numerous titles throughout his career, including multiple UEFA Champions League trophies, domestic league titles, and international honors with the Brazilian national team. His career is marked by his exceptional skill, versatility, and leadership on the field.
May 1983: Birth of Dani Alves
Daniel 'Dani' Alves da Silva was born on 6 May 1983 in Brazil. He would go on to become a renowned professional footballer, widely recognized for his role as a right-back. This date marks the beginning of his life story.
2001: Debut for Bahia
Dani Alves made his professional debut for Bahia in a 2001 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A match against Paraná Clube. He provided two assists and won a penalty in a 3-0 victory.
2001: Career Start at Bahia
In 2001, Dani Alves started his professional football career with Bahia. His performances there would later lead to a successful six-year spell with Sevilla.
2002: Loan to Sevilla
In 2002, Dani Alves was loaned to Sevilla from Bahia, marking the beginning of his career in European football.
2002: Wins Copa do Nordeste with Bahia
In 2002, Dani Alves won the Copa do Nordeste with Bahia. His performances attracted attention, leading to a loan move to Sevilla.
June 2006: Sevilla Agrees to Sell Alves to Liverpool
In June 2006, Sevilla agreed to sell Dani Alves to Liverpool, but the transfer did not materialize due to financial disagreements.
December 2006: New Contract with Sevilla
In December 2006, Dani Alves signed a new contract with Sevilla, extending his stay until 2012. He had a successful season, highlighted by Sevilla's UEFA Cup victory.
2006: International Debut for Brazil
In 2006, Dani Alves made his debut for the Brazilian national team. This began his long and successful international career, where he became the nation's third most-capped player.
August 2007: Expresses Desire to Leave Sevilla
In August 2007, Dani Alves publicly expressed his desire to leave Sevilla for a major European club, particularly showing interest in Chelsea.
August 2007: Rejected Chelsea Bids and Stays at Sevilla
In August 2007, Sevilla rejected multiple bids from Chelsea for Dani Alves, leading to a public dispute. After the death of teammate Antonio Puerta, Alves decided to stay at Sevilla.
2007: Wins Copa América
Dani Alves was part of the Brazilian squad that won the Copa América in 2007, marking a significant achievement in his international career.
July 2008: Transfers to Barcelona
On 2 July 2008, Dani Alves transferred to Barcelona, becoming one of the most expensive defenders in history. He signed a four-year contract with a €90 million buy-out clause.
August 2008: Debuts for Barcelona
In August 2008, Dani Alves made his competitive and European debuts for Barcelona, marking the start of a highly successful period with the club.
2009: 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup
Alves came on as a substitute in the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup semi-final against South Africa and scored the winning goal with a free-kick in the 88th minute in a 1–0 win.
2009: Image Rights Earnings
In 2009, Alves' image rights earnings were scrutinized, leading to a tax fraud case that he would later win in 2023.
2009: Misses Champions League Final
In 2009, Dani Alves missed the UEFA Champions League Final due to a yellow-card suspension. Barcelona won the match, completing a treble for the season.
October 2010: Goal against Iran
On 7 October 2010, Dani Alves scored a long-range free-kick in a friendly match against Iran.
2010: Image Rights Earnings
In 2010, Alves' image rights earnings were scrutinized, leading to a tax fraud case that he would later win in 2023.
2010: Third Consecutive Liga Title
In the 2010–11 season, Dani Alves was instrumental in Barcelona winning their third consecutive Liga title.
May 2011: First Champions League Final Win
On 28 May 2011, Dani Alves played in his first Champions League final as Barcelona defeated Manchester United 3–1 to win its fourth European Cup.
September 2011: Special Olympics Ambassador
On 29 September 2011, Dani Alves was appointed as a Special Olympics Ambassador for its Global Football program, promoting respect and inclusion in football for people with intellectual disabilities.
2011: IFFHS CONMEBOL Team of the Decade
Dani Alves was included in the IFFHS CONMEBOL Team of the Decade for 2011–2020, highlighting his consistent performance and impact on the game.
2011: Wins Copa del Rey and Club World Cup
In the 2011–12 season, Dani Alves was part of a Barcelona team that won the Copa del Rey and the Club World Cup.
2012: Contract with Sevilla
Dani Alves' contract with Sevilla was set to last until 2012, although he moved to Barcelona before this date.
2012: Fourth Liga Title with Barcelona
In the 2012–13 season, Dani Alves won the Liga title for the fourth time in his five seasons with Barcelona.
2013: Tribute to Eric Abidal
In the 2013–14 season, Dani Alves wore shirt number 22, previously worn by his friend Eric Abidal, to whom he had offered to donate part of his liver during Abidal's treatment for liver cancer.
April 2014: Man Arrested for Banana Throwing Incident
In April 2014, a man was arrested in connection with the incident where a banana was thrown at Dani Alves. Villarreal faced a fine of €12,000 for this incident.
April 2014: Racial Abuse Incident
On 27 April 2014, during a match at Villarreal's stadium, Dani Alves was targeted with racial abuse when a supporter threw a banana at him. Alves responded by eating the banana, which sparked a viral anti-racism campaign.
April 2015: Support for Armenian genocide recognition
On 24 April 2015, Dani Alves expressed his support for the campaign for international recognition of the Armenian genocide. He later apologized to Turkish fans on 27 April 2015 for any offense caused.
June 2015: Barcelona Wins Fifth European Cup
On 6 June 2015, Dani Alves started for Barcelona in the 2015 Champions League final, where they secured their fifth European Cup by defeating Juventus. This made Barcelona the first club to win the treble of domestic league, domestic cup, and European Cup twice.
June 2015: Alves Signs Two-Year Contract with Barcelona
On 9 June 2015, Dani Alves signed a two-year contract extension with Barcelona, keeping him at the club until 30 June 2017, with an option for an additional year.
2015: 2015 Copa América
In 2015, Dani Alves was picked as a starter for the Copa América by manager Dunga.
June 2016: Alves Announces Departure from Barcelona
On 2 June 2016, Barcelona's technical secretary announced that Dani Alves would leave the club that summer, despite having a contract until June 2017. A clause allowed him to leave as a free agent.
June 2016: Alves Signs with Juventus
On 27 June 2016, Juventus announced the signing of Dani Alves on a two-year deal with an option for a third year.
2016: Joins Juventus
In 2016, Dani Alves signed with Juventus on a free transfer. During his time there, he won the 2016–17 Serie A title and Coppa Italia, also reaching the Champions League Final.
May 2017: Alves Shines in Champions League and Coppa Italia
In May 2017, Dani Alves scored and assisted in Juventus’ victory over Monaco, qualifying for the Champions League final. He also scored in the Coppa Italia final against Lazio.
June 2017: Alves Leaves Juventus
On 29 June 2017, Dani Alves’s contract with Juventus was terminated by mutual consent. He made 33 appearances, winning the Serie A and Coppa Italia titles in the 2016-17 season.
July 2017: Alves Joins Paris Saint-Germain
On 12 July 2017, Dani Alves joined Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer, signing a two-year contract. He made an impactful debut on 29 July, scoring and assisting in the Trophée des Champions win.
2017: Transfers to Paris Saint-Germain
In 2017, Dani Alves joined French side Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer. He won a domestic treble in his first season and another league title the following season.
May 2018: PSG Wins 2017-18 Coupe de France
On 8 May 2018, Dani Alves played in the final as PSG defeated Les Herbiers VF 2–0 to win the 2017-18 Coupe de France title. He sustained an injury and was substituted in the 86th minute.
June 2018: Release of song 'Suave'
Along with ex-teammate turned rapper José Manuel Pinto, Dani Alves released a song called 'Suave' on YouTube on 15 June 2018.
August 2018: Alves Changes Squad Number
On 28 August 2018, Dani Alves announced a change in his squad number from 32 to 13 in tribute to Brazilian legend Mário Zagallo.
June 2019: Alves Becomes Free Agent
On 30 June 2019, Dani Alves's contract with Paris Saint-Germain expired, making him a free agent.
August 2019: Alves Signs with São Paulo
On 1 August 2019, Dani Alves signed with São Paulo, a club he had always wanted to play for, on a contract running until December 2022. He was welcomed at Morumbi stadium by 44,000 fans.
2019: Returns to Brazil
In 2019, Dani Alves returned to Brazil, joining São Paulo, where he won the 2021 Campeonato Paulista.
2019: Copa América Victory and Awards
In 2019, Dani Alves won the Copa América with Brazil. He was named the tournament's Best Player and included in the Team of the Tournament, highlighting his exceptional performance.
2020: Olympic Gold Medal
In 2020, Dani Alves won a gold medal at the Summer Olympics, marking a high point in his international career.
September 2021: Support for Jair Bolsonaro and Earthshot Prize
In September 2021, Dani Alves indicated his support for Jair Bolsonaro and was also appointed as an Earthshot Prize council member, an environmental initiative led by Prince William.
September 2021: Alves Leaves São Paulo
On 10 September 2021, Dani Alves's representatives informed São Paulo that he would no longer play for the club due to a dispute over unpaid image rights. His contract was terminated six days later.
November 2021: Alves Returns to Barcelona
On 12 November 2021, Barcelona announced an agreement to sign Dani Alves until the end of the season. He officially debuted in January 2022 in a Copa del Rey match.
2021: Return to Barcelona
Dani Alves returned to Barcelona in 2021, continuing his professional football career with the club where he had previously achieved significant success.
July 2022: Alves Signs with Liga MX Club UNAM
On 23 July 2022, Dani Alves signed a one-year contract with Liga MX club UNAM.
2022: Ends International Career
Dani Alves ended his international career with Brazil in 2022, having been the nation's third most-capped player and having participated in multiple World Cups and Copa América tournaments.
2022: Joins UNAM
In 2022, Dani Alves joined Mexican club UNAM. His contract with the club was terminated in 2023 after legal issues arose.
2022: Spain's Consensual Sex Law Passed
In 2022, Spain passed a new consensual sex law that expanded the legal definition of sexual assault, which would later play a significant role in the prosecution of Alves.
January 2023: Arrest for sexual assault
On 20 January 2023, Dani Alves was arrested by Catalan police and remanded in custody on charges of sexual assault. The alleged assault occurred on 30 December 2022 at a Barcelona nightclub.
January 2023: UNAM Terminates Alves' Contract
On 20 January 2023, following Dani Alves' arrest for a sexual assault allegation, UNAM decided to end his contract with the club.
February 2023: Witnesses Testify Against Alves
By February 2023, at least eight witnesses had provided testimony against Alves. It was reported that the crime could be prosecuted under Spain's 2022 consensual sex law, which expanded the legal definition of sexual assault.
March 2023: Separation from wife
After Dani Alves was arrested on sexual assault charges, his wife Joana Sanz separated from him in March 2023, citing emotional hurt and stating her desire to 'close this chapter of her life.'
April 2023: Alves Testifies in Court
On April 2023, Alves testified in court providing a different version of events, claiming he had consensual sexual intercourse with the woman during the incident. He also mentioned that he previously denied the sexual activity to save his marriage.
May 2023: Alves Denied Bail
In May 2023, Alves was denied bail and remained in prison.
July 2023: Alves' Trial Schedule Reported
In July 2023, El Periódico reported that Alves' trial in Spain was initially scheduled to take place between October and November 2023, with no pretrial release granted until the trial concluded.
August 2023: Alves Formally Indicted
On 2 August 2023, Alves was formally indicted, and it was determined that his trial date would be set for later in the year or early 2024.
November 2023: Alves' Tax Fraud Case Won
On 16 November 2023, Alves won a tax fraud case related to alleged improper reporting of his image rights earnings during the 2009–10 and 2010–11 seasons while he was a Barcelona player.
December 2023: Alves' Trial Date Set
On 20 December 2023, a Barcelona-based court scheduled Alves' trial to begin on 5 February 2024.
2023: Legal Issues and Contract Termination
In 2023, Dani Alves faced legal issues and was detained in Spain. UNAM terminated his contract as a result of these issues.
January 2024: Alves Claims Alcohol Impairment
On 17 January 2024, in his fifth version of events, Alves claimed he was severely impaired by alcohol consumption during the incident.
February 2024: Conviction of Sexual Assault
In February 2024, Dani Alves was convicted of rape and sentenced to four and a half years in prison. This marked a significant and troubling point in his life and career.
February 2024: Alves Found Guilty
On 22 February 2024, Alves was found guilty of rape and was sentenced to four and a half years in prison. He was also ordered to pay €150,000 in damages to the victim. Following his sentence, Barcelona retired him from their 'Legend' section, though his likeness was reinstated days later.
March 2024: False Suicide Claims
On 10 March 2024, rumors spread that Alves had committed suicide in jail. These claims were debunked by his brother Ney Alves and his press advisor Acaz Felleger on the same day. Legal action was considered against the person who started the rumor.
March 2024: Alves Released on Bail
On 20 March 2024, Alves was released from jail on a €1,000,000 bail. He was ordered to turn over his Spanish and Brazilian passports, appear before a court weekly, and keep a distance from the victim. The ruling, which was not unanimous, could still be appealed.
